Dust remover for tobacco feeds



Feb. 23, 1932. R. E. RUNDELL DUST REMBVER FOR TOBACCO-FEEDS Filed March l5, 1930 FIG! 5'' M BY ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1932 um 're sreres mama "meat var i i e".

RUPERT n. animate, on nocnvrrnnicnn'rnn, new roan, assrenon T niusnrcan MA- a cn'rnn & ronnnn r 'comranr, a conronarrron or new JERSEY DUST nmuovna non 'ronacco rnnns Application fi1edMarch-I5, 1930; Serial in; 436,096.

This invention relates to tobacco feeds for continuous rod cigarette machines and the like, its main object beingto provide means for removing small tobaccoiparticles or tobacco dust from the tobacco layer on the picker roller before-the tobacco is fed onto the continuous running'paper strip. l V

7 With this and other obj ects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically setforth in the claims hereunto appended. 7 i f' In manufacturing cigarettes by means of a continuous rod cigarette machine, it is very important for obtaining a high quality of product that the tobacco filling ofthe rod be of uniform consistency and free from loose particles or dust; In the present invention. the delivering picker roller of thetobacco: feed is provided with asuction chamber and conveyor mechanism which removes the dust from the tobacco as it enters the delivery chute and thus prevents it from being carried 1 into the cigarette rod.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a sectional end elevation of a portion of a cigarette machine tobacco feed equipped with the improved-dust remover; and c Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in cross section, showing the construction of the dust removing mechanism. V

In carrying the invention into efiiect, there is provided means for feeding tobacco to the cigarette wrapper material, means for guiding the wrapper material, and suction means for removing dust and loose particles from the tobacco feeding means. In thebest constructions, the tobacco feeding means includes a plurality of cooperating rollers adapted to feed the tobacco. In the best cons structions also, the suction means includes a suction chamber havmg an apertured wall disposed adjacent to the tobacco feeding means and a'conduit leading to a source of suction. These various means and parts may be widely varied in construction Within the I scope of'the claims, for the particular machine selected to illustrate the invention is but one ofinany possibleconcrete embodi ments of the same. i The invention, there vfo're,,-,is not to be restricted to the specific construction'sh'own and described.

r -In a cigarette machine tobacco feed, the x tobacco picked up from thefeed magazine by the main feed drum (not shown) is fed onto a feed belt 3' which runs ,over'a roller 4: on

shaft 5 and carries the tobacco layer Tito wards a pin roller 6 mounted on shaft 7, The latter is supported by dust-proof bearin'gsB in gear housing 9 attached to the main frame 10 of the tobacco feed housing '11 and carries the bevel gear 12 driven from bevel gear .13

mounted .on main shaftl l, When the tobacco. T reaches the pin roller 6, it is carried by the latter over a concave cross memberc'15 supported on its two ends by the main frame 7 10. The tobacco is then taken. off the pin, roller 6 by picker roller 1 6,,the pins of which move in the opposit e direction and throw the tobacco through chute 17 onto the continuous running cigarette paper strip P. Chute 17 is supported by brackets 18 mounted on the mainframe 10 and leads into' the feeding channel 19' W11 ich guidesthe paper strip. The throw of the tobacco T in chute. 17 is directed in an even stream by the Hat side 20 of the concavecross' member 15. Picker roller 16 is mounted on sleeve shaft 21whichon one o endcarries a pulley 22 driven from the main feed .drive by means of a belt 23. Sleeve shaft 21 is mounted in dust-proof bearings 24 supported by frame 10. I

Adjacent to picker roller 1 6is'mounted suction chamber 25 held in-place by brackets 26 and 27.-1Thissuction chamber at one side has a wideopening 28 extending along its length. allowin g-the pickerroller 16 to partly enter into 'thesame, and in its bottom isprovided with a screw conveyor 29 supported by bearings.;30 which form'the'ends of the suction chan'iber and support 7 the same.

Chamber 25is' connected by a tube 31 toa vacuum pump or exhaust fan. The conveyor 29 is'rotatedbya sprocket 32driven through chain 33 by sprocket 34 mounted on pin roller shaft 7.

The picker rollerv 16 revolves at high speed and thereby creates an air current in the direction of its motion which winnows the dust D from the tobacco stream T in the chute 17 and directs it towards the chamber'25' into which it is sucked through the passage formed by the wall connecting the chute 17 with the chamber 25. When the speed of picker roller 16 is sufficiently high, it is found that the air current created by its motiontisst-rong enough to carry tobacco dust D from the chute 17 into chamber 25 without the aid of suction. Thus, by the combined actions of the picker roller: motion" andthe vacuum pump; most of the loose dust. contained in the tob'accois'collected' in ch'amberfla whence theconveyorscrew 29 carries the same to the outietfilthrough which it' is takenaway by the vacuum pump. The re as'onfor provid- M ing the conveyor29-to carry off the dust col lected in chamber 25'is that, if suction strong enoughzto' empty'the'chamber Wereemployed to operatethe device; not only the winnowed dustlD, but also tobaccofrom the stream T in: chute. 17 would be sucked into chamber 25, and the: object of the devicewould thus be" defeated 1'; The-combinationwith the picker roll of a cig arette.;imachine feed, of an open-sided channel extending along said roll and into which said roll" fans dust from the tobacco it operates on, and' means for removing dust j from said ch'anneli a s 2. The combination with the picker roll of a cigarette machine.feed,"ofan open-sided channel extending along'said roll and into which said rolli fans dust from the tobacco tobacco feeding means, said suction means including a suction chamber toreceive the dust and loose particles from the tobacco feeding means and a screw conveyor adapted to collect the-dust and loose particles at one end of said suction chamber.

6. In a cigarette machine, the combination withmeans for feeding tobacco to the wrap per material, of means for guiding the wrappermaterial', an'dsuction means for'removing dust and loose particles from said tobacco feeding means, said suctlon means including a suctlon chamber'having a wall provided with a longitudinal opening disposed ad acent to the tobacco feeding means to receive'the dust and loose particles therefrom and conveyoradapted to collect the dustand loose particles at: one-end of said suctionchamber. V

7. In a cigarette machine; the combination with means forfeeding tobacco to the wrap -per material, of means forguiding the wrapper material, and suction means for removing dust and loose particles from said tobacco feeding means-, sai'd suction means including a= suction chamber having 'awall provided with a longitudinal opening dis= posed adjacent to the tobacco feeding means to recei v'e the dust and-loose particles-therefrom; a conduit leading to as'ource of suction', andfa screwconveyor adapted to carry the-dustandd'oose particles to the conduit.

In testimony whereof, I have-signed my name-tothis specification. V i

' RUPERT E. RUNDELL.

operates on, and means for removingdust from said'channel, said. channel being substantially' circular" 1n cross sectlon with lts open side close to theQside of said roll.

ber? to receive the dust'and loose particles from-the-tobaccofeeding means and a screw conveyor adapted-to collect the dustandjloose particles at oneend, of saidsuction chamber;

5;. In a2 cigarette macl1ine,wthe combination with means for feeding tobacco to the wrapper. material, of-meansaforguiding the wrapper material, and suction means for removing dust and loose particles from said 

